US 6,404,659 B1 · Electric power conversion apparatus

Abstract

When an alarm signal provided by an inverter forming an I/F provided for the circuit on the high side enters an active (L) state, the output of the inverter indicates an H state. Then, the N-channel MOS type FET enters an ON state. At this time, the N-channel MOS type FET is connected to the I/F on the low side using a diode. Therefore, when the diode enters a normal bias state, that is, when the reference potential of the above mentioned two I/Fs approach each other, an electric current flows from the power supply to the N-channel MOS type FET through a resistor. As a result, by a voltage drop, a voltage arises in the resistor, and the output of the inverter indicates the H state. Since the output of the inverter is connected to a control unit, the control unit performs a process according to an alarm signal. Thus, the electric power conversion apparatus having a circuit on a low side for performing a switching operation based on reference potential and a circuit on a high side for performing a switching operation based on floating reference potential which is different from the reference potential by a variable amount can be smaller and less costly.

Claims6

Dependent claims

An electric power conversion apparatus having a circuit on a low side for performing a switching operation based on reference potential, and a circuit on a high side for performing a switching operation based on floating reference potential which is different from the reference potential by a variable amount, comprising:

on the high side,
a detection unit detecting a state of an operation of the circuit on the high side;
and
a signal generation unit generating a signal based on a detection result of said detection unit;
and
on the low side,
a reception unit receiving a signal generated by said signal generation unit;
and
a control unit controlling the circuit on the low side or the high side corresponding to a signal received by said reception unit,
in said signal generation unit and said reception unit are connected to each other using a directional element with which a connection or disconnection state is determined based on a transmission direction of a signal;
and
wherein said directional element is connected to a terminal for an output signal from said signal generation unit at the high side and to a terminal for an input signal to said reception unit at the low side,
said directional element being connected in such a way to enable a current flow to be admitted through said directional element from said input terminal of said reception unit to said output terminal of said signal generation unit under a situation in which a floating reference potential is at a zero level.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electric power conversion apparatus

Life of this patent

Electric power conversion apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6